MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowships 2025 for freelance and staff journalists.

Application Deadline: October 14, 2024

Applications are now open for the 2025 MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowships. The MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowship supports freelance and staff journalists associated with U.S. local/regional newsrooms in developing a high-impact news project that reports on how climate change and/or the shift to a low-carbon economy relates to local communities and regions, in a way that centers local messengers, values, and priorities.

Starting in January 2025, Fellows will participate in a four-month nonresident program that includes:

1. A multi-day virtual workshop* where Fellows will connect with MIT climate scientists, earth modeling researchers, political scientists, energy economists, and others;
2. Access to an editor to support project structure and packaging;
3. Training on using MIT’s extensive library databases, socioeconomic climate analyses, and other resources as requested;
4. Twice a month virtual cohort meetings (attendance is expected);
5. Republication of the project through MIT and partner channels; and
6. Stipends of $10,000 plus up to $5,000 for qualified expenses (ex., travel, multimedia development, hosting an event).

Requirements

• MIT welcomes applications from staff writers of U.S. newsrooms, or freelance journalists in association with a sponsoring newsroom, who want to tackle an ambitious project.
• Newsrooms can include newspapers, news magazines, broadcast stations, digital news outlets, and investigative journalism organizations. Writers employed by or writing for think tanks, lobbying groups, or advocacy groups are not eligible.

Benefits

• Fellows will also be awarded up to $5,000 for project-related expenses and will have significant discretion with how to use these funds. 

Application Procedure:

The application includes the following:

1. Resume/CV;
2. One page cover letter introducing yourself, your proposed project and qualifications to execute it, and why you are seeking fellowship support;
3. A letter of recommendation and commitment from a news editor who pledges that the news outlet will publish your feature/series (see below);
4. Up to three samples of your best and most relevant work, published during the past 24 months; and
5. A two- to three-page project proposal outlining your project. Please include:

• Your plan for incorporating the required project features listed above;
• A description of the makeup and size of your audience;
• How the project will engage Americans in parts of the country where climate change is disputed, controversial or underreported, in a way that is new or novel;
• What kinds of expertise, information/data, and multimedia content you would like to have access to/include;
• Disclosure of any potential conflicts of interest you may have;
• A proposed budget for the $5k expenditure; and
• Encouraged but optional: what an audience engagement component would look like.

Timeline:

• October 14, 2024: Application deadline
• November: Announce Fellows
• January 6, 2025: Fellowship and week-long virtual workshops begin
• April 30: End of Fellowship Program
• May 30: End date for project publication

More Info: MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowships